This time three years ago, Van Bokkelen Elementary school was trying to shed its title of Anne Arundel's lowest-performing school. State education officials had labeled it as in need of "restructuring." Its Achilles' heel was fifth-grade math, where the school consistently fell below state benchmarks.
This year, fifth-grade math is one of the areas the school is most proud of, with the number of students passing the state test jumping 18 percentage points from last year. The school of 430 students also made solid gains in third-, fourth- and fifth-grade reading.
Underlying the Severn school's academic success, Anne Arundel school district officials say, is a keen focus on parent and community involvement that helped Van Bokkelen snare a national award.
The school's Parent Teacher Association two weeks ago received the Phoebe Apperson Hearst-National PTA Excellence in Education Partnership Award, the PTA's highest honor for family, school and community partnerships.
James Martinez, a spokesman for the national PTA, said the school won the award for its partnership with Anne Arundel Community College to help parents earn diplomas through the General Educational Development program, a back-to-school camp and workshops to show parents how to help their children with homework.
The school's principal and PTA president were on vacation yesterday and not available for comment, but Anne Arundel school district officials lauded the school.
"They really are an example that we would like every school in the county to follow," said Teresa Tudor, who administers the district's office of school and family partnerships. "We keep emphasizing that parent involvement and community involvement is the key to student success, and Van Bokkelen has really proved how communities can turn schools around. That school has done it better than anyone else in this county so far."
The Severn school's journey from the state watch list to becoming a model for parent and community involvement is one that district officials are studying closely.
What they learn from Van Bokkelen and other schools will be shared at a parent and community involvement workshop the district will hold Sept. 20 at Anne Arundel Community College's Arundel Mills campus.
The national PTA's Martinez said the association was impressed with Van Bokkelen's diverse network of partners - everyone from the State Department of Education to local businesses to community organizations like the YWCA and Boys and Girls Club. The partnerships helped the school bring in a steady stream of volunteers and mentors who read to students and provided tutoring help.
The school's parent workshops were also a success. Parents learned how to create activity centers that could help reinforce their child's school lessons at home. The school's work to help parents earn diplomas further empowered parents, Martinez said.
"It's the perfect example of the community and parents and school working together," he said.
The work at Van Bokkelen dovetails into another recent initiative. Superintendent Kevin M. Maxwell has challenged schools by 2008 to hold at least two events outside the school walls and in the community, Tudor said. The idea behind it, she said, is helping schools realize that they can't always expect parents, businesses and community leaders to come to them.
Tudor said too many parents feel intimidated approaching teachers and administrators with concerns.
"But if we go out in the community and have kiosks in the mall, or meet in barber shops and nail salons, they'll see us as real people," she said.
ruma.kumar@baltsun.com